Self-contained vacuum saw

ABSTRACT

A self-contained vacuum circular saw is presented. The vacuum saw has a casing around the saw blade that includes an accordion type lower section attached to the lower platform of the saw. A number of vacuum tubes, preferably four, are attached to the side of the circular saw opposite the blade. The armature of the circular saw that turns the blade also turns the vacuum impeller on the side opposite the blade. An impeller vacuum chamber pulls in the dust and debris created by the saw blade and discharges the dust and debris into a disposable and removable vacuum bag. An important aspect of this device is that the motor that turns the saw blade also turns the impeller, thus making the self-contained vacuum Saw moveable from site to site.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the field of carpentry and sawing. Moreparticularly, a self-contained vacuum saw is presented which picks updust and debris from a circular saw during the operation of the saw.

In the carpentry field, it has been commonplace to use saws of varioustypes. From the first primitive hand saw, to tree saws, to electricallyoperated saws such as jigsaws or circular saws, the carpentry andbuilding trades often utilize such mechanical devices. One majordrawback of these saws during construction work is that much dust anddebris can accumulate as a result of cutting wood, dry wall, orconcrete. Particularly for inside work, the dust that can accumulate ina room often wood require hours of clean-up after the initialconstruction phase and the sawing is completed.

During inside work, and particularly in areas where remodeling is beingdone, the dust problem poses quite a quandary for the workmen. Inremodeling, the workmen are often required to remove and replace a door,window, or wall or to install and cut dry wall in a closed room. Theserooms often have furniture and electronic appliances sensitive to dustaccumulation. Fine dry-wall dust accumulation can cause many problems.One approach to solving this problem would be to remove all of thefurniture in the room or to cover the furniture or electronic applianceswith tarps or plastic. This, of course, would require many man hours andwould be an expensive proposition. It is an object of this invention toprovide a self contained vacuum saw that would eliminate approximatelyninety percent or more of the dust accumulated as a result of theconstruction process.

Although certain vacuum devices have been attached to circular saws orconcrete saws, these devices are not self contained and do not allow theworkman to transport his circular saw to and around the worksite. Forexample, table saws at hardware stores may be attached to an in-housevacuum system. However, the table saw is stationary and cannot betransported to any other site. In addition, the vacuum system on suchsaws requires a separate power source to operate the vacuum. It isanother object of this invention to provide a self contained circularsaw which may be transported to the worksite. Another object of thisinvention is to provide a self-contained circular vacuum saw which maybe transported to a worksite and which is powered from the motor of thecircular saw itself.

Often, when a circular saw or other type of electrical saw is usedoutside, a power source such as an electric cord or gasoline electricgenerator is required in order to power the saw. It is a still furtherobject of this invention to provide a self-contained vacuum saw that canbe used utilizing only one electrical source of power to operate boththe saw blade and the attached vacuum unit.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent upon reading thebelow described specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DEVICE

A self-contained vacuum saw has as its primary objective the collectionof dust and debris from a cut being made with a power saw. While thereare many types of power saws, the below described device is attached toa circular saw as an example. However, this attachment for a circularsaw is an illustration only and is not meant to limit the scope of thedisclosure. The invention disclosed herein has many applications topower saws.

A circular saw has a body containing a blade and a motor. The saw alsohas a lower platform for supporting the saw on the wood, wallboard, orother material being cut. In the preferred embodiment of this invention,a saw blade chamber encloses the circular saw cutting blade from the topof the blade to the lower saw platform. Vacuum hoses are attached to thesaw blade chamber and are connected to the opposite side of the saw atan impeller vacuum chamber. The impeller of the vacuum chamber is runfrom the same armature that turns the saw blade. As the saw motor turnsthe saw blade and armature, the dust and debris created by the saw bladeis pulled into the vacuum chamber and ultimately expelled into thevacuum bag. A clear cover over the outside part of the saw blade allowsthe workman to see the blade. Bellows are attached between the lowerportion of the saw blade enclosure and a lower platform. These flexiblebellows allow the workman to adjust the saw blade up or down or to pivotthe saw blade to cut angles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the device.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the device showing key elements.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the saw blade chamber, showing theenclosure disassembled from the saw itself.

FIG. 4 is an outside perspective view of the saw blade enclosure andbellows.

FIG. 5 is a perspective exploded view of the vacuum chamber.

FIG. 6 is a side cut-away view of the vacuum chamber shown in FIG. 5,showing the direction of airflow.

FIG. 7 is a partial perspective end view of the saw blade enclosure,showing the placement of the fourth tube at the back edge of the sawblade.

FIG. 8 is a side schematic view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, whichdetails the separate bellows compartments for this embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a front view of the self-contained vacuum saw shown in FIG. 1,particularly illustrating the mechanism used to change the pivot of thelower saw platform.

FIG. 10 is a schematic view of the lower saw platform shown in FIG. 9with the pivot being modified to the left side of the platform.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A self-contained vacuum saw, shown in its full embodiment in FIG. 1 ispresented. The self-contained vacuum saw is a modification of thestandard circular saws currently being used in the building andconstruction trades. Such a standard circular saw has a body 1 thatcontains an electric motor 2, a saw handle 3, a circular saw blade 4,and a lower saw platform 5. The lower saw platform 5 is pivotablyconnected to the saw body and has an inner side near the motor and anouter side outside the saw blade. The circular saw of the preferredembodiment has an electric motor and is powered through the saw cord 6.These well-known elements of the standard circular saw are best shown inFIGS. 1 through 3.

As shown schematically in FIG. 2, the electric motor 2 turns a bladedrive shaft or armature 7 that in turn is connected to the saw blade 4.The electric motor in the instant device also turns a drive shaft vacuumextension 7′ (the same armature) which is connected to a vacuum impeller8. The vacuum impeller 8 is surrounded by a vacuum impeller housing 9.The vacuum impeller and housing is best shown in FIG. 5. The impeller 8has a vacuum impeller main housing 9 attached to the saw body 1 and avacuum impeller outer housing 9′. The outer housing 9′ is removablyattached to the permanently attached main housing 9.

The vacuum housing (9 and 9′) contains a vacuum housing exhaust port 10.This exhaust port 10 is adapted to receive the dust and debris pulledinto the vacuum housing by the impeller. This material is thendischarged through the exhaust port 10.

Attached to the outer portion of the exhaust port 10 is a metal exhaustport tube 10′. Attached to the exhaust tube 10′ is a vacuum bag 11. Thetype of vacuum bag 11 used on this particular device must be tighterthan the normal bags on the market. The bags could be disposable forfine dust accumulated such as in drywall cutting or washable for coarserwork such as cutting materials like wood. Particular types of bagsutilized to catch and collect fine debris such as that produced indrywall cutting are in common use in the industry and are well known inthe art.

Turning now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the saw blade chamber is shown. The sawblade chamber creates an essentially sealed chamber around the sawblade. The upper blade housing of the saw blade chamber comprises asemi-circular saw blade outer enclosure plate 12 as shown in drawingFIGS. 3 and 4. The upper blade chamber includes a semi-circular innerenclosure plate 12′. A saw blade chamber shoulder 13 connects outer 12and inner 12′ blade plates. The outer plate 12 is clear, as best shownin FIG. 1. This clear outer plate 1 allows the workmen to see the bladeand to trace the path of the blade as the cut is being made. The upperblade housing surrounds the upper portion of the blade 4.

Attached to the circular shoulder 13 of the saw blade chamber is aplurality of vacuum tubes 14. These vacuum tubes are connected betweenthe blade chamber and the vacuum housing. The preferred embodiment shownherein has four hoses 14 that must be strategically positioned to allowfor the most efficient collection of dust and debris. After muchexperimentation, it has been found that a single hose simply introducedat one part of the saw blade chamber is inefficient and would not beeffective in gathering the amount of dust and debris accumulated duringa saw cut.

In one embodiment of this device, the front two hoses 14′ vacuum up mostof the dust. However, these front hoses 14′ must be strategicallyplaced. In the preferred embodiment herein, the front two vacuum hoses14′ are located at approximately two o'clock and three o'clock on atwelve o'clock dial on the circumference of the shoulder 13, withreference being had to FIG. 4. On FIG. 4, if one places the twelveo'clock high position on the saw blade chamber at the apex 27 of thesemi-circle, the front two vacuum hoses 14′ would be located at the twoo'clock and three o'clock position.

Other hoses should also be attached to the saw blade chamber. In oneembodiment, as best shown in FIG. 4, two additional vacuum tubes 14would be located at the ten o'clock and nine o'clock position.

It has also been found that moving the nine o'clock vacuum hose to analternate position, as shown in drawing FIGS. 7 and 8 would be abeneficial placement of the vacuum hoses. This alternate placement ofthe nine o'clock vacuum hose will be described later in thisspecification.

In order to complete the saw blade chamber, a lower saw blade bellows 15is attached to the bottom part of the saw blade chamber as best shown inFIG. 4. the upper blade housing and lower bellows create the bladechamber.

The bellows 15 are an accordion-style flexible and bendable bellows asshown in the drawing figures. The bellows 15 need to be flexible andbendable in order for the adjustable saw blade to be maneuverable withinthe saw blade chamber to adjust for angles and depths of cut. A lowerbellows attaching bracket 16, as shown in FIG. 4, may be attached to thelower part of the bellows in order for the entire bellows unit 15 to beattached to the saw lower platform 5. Suitable screw holes are providedin the lower bellows bracket 16. Corresponding holes are found in thesaw lower platform 5.

Another variation of the placement of the vacuum hoses 14 of this deviceis shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. In this variation, the lower chamber createdby bellows 15 is divided into two chambers 17 and 18. A larger, frontchamber 17, as best shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, has three vacuum tubesattached. A second, smaller, rear bellows chamber 18 has one vacuumtube, in this embodiment 19, to collect the dust and debris from theback end of the saw blade. A small, flexible separation wall 20separates front 17 and rear 18 bellows chambers. This upper part of thisseparation wall 20 is connected to the saw blade chamber but is notconnected to the lower saw platform 5. A small space between the lowerpart of the separation wall 20 and the lower saw platform 5 allows anyremaining debris not already pulled up by the front hoses to be pulledinto the rear bellows chambers 18 and discharged by the rear bellowschamber vacuum tube 19.

Once the bellows are attached to the upper part of the saw bladechamber, the saw blade is almost completely enclosed. (Due to the factthat the saw blade must move and may not always be completely flushagainst the work piece, the chamber is not always one hundred Percentsealed. However, the chamber does provide a virtual seal for the sawblade.) The saw blade chamber is created by the upper semi-circular sawblade shoulder 13, the outer plate 12, the inner plate 12′, the bellows15 and the lower saw platform 5. In combination, these elements create asaw blade chamber.

When the blade 4 is turned by the electric motor and cuts the workpiece, the dust and debris created is pulled up into the vacuum tubes 14and 14′ by the impeller and is deposited in the vacuum bag 11. Thisprocess is best shown in the schematic drawing FIG. 2 and by the diagramshown in FIG. 6. In FIGS. 2 and 6, the arrows show the direction ofairflow and the direction of travel of the dust and debris.

As shown in FIG. 6, the dust and debris created by the blade is vacuumedinto vacuum housing 9 in the direction of the arrows. Each of the vacuumtubes 14 and 14′ have their outlets at approximately, or as near aspossible, to the center of the impeller 8. It has been shown throughmuch experimentation that the introduction of the outlet end of thevacuum tubes near the center of the impeller is preferred. As the dustand debris is vacuumed by the impeller into the vacuum housing 9 thedust and debris is discharged through exhaust port 10 and into thevacuum bag 11. The vacuum bag is detachably attached to the device sothat it may be empted as necessary.

Another refinement to this device is illustrated in FIG. 1. Eachcircular saw blade has a lower blade guard 24. This lower blade guard 24rotates as the blade moves through the material to be cut and must bepushed out of the way before the blade encages the working piece.Normally, this is done by means of a lever on the side of the lowerblade guard. However, since the outer side of the blade 4 is now fullycontained within the saw blade chamber, an alternate means of rotatingthe lower blade guard 24 is required. This is accomplished using a lowerblade guard rod 25 that is contained within the blade chamber. The rodhas a first end connected to the blade guard 24 as shown in drawingFIG. 1. This lower blade guard rod 25 is also attached at a second endto lower blade guard lever handle 26, which is positioned on the outsideof the saw blade chamber. By pulling handle 26, lower blade guard 24 maybe rotated so that the saw may be placed on the work piece for cutting.

One important modification of the standard circular saw is shown inFIGS. 9 and 10. FIG. 9 shows the standard construction of this circularsaw, including the vacuum impeller houser 9, the vacuum tubes 14 and14′, the saw blade chamber and the bellows 15. This modification to thestandard circular requires that the lower base 5 pivot point 21 bechanged. In normal operation and production, the lower saw platform 5pivots by manipulating the lower base adjusting handle 22. Thisbase-adjusting handle (or bolt) 22 is loosened to allow the lower baseplatform 5 to pivot for angle cuts. Normally, the lower saw platform 5pivots at pivot point 21.

However, as a modification of the standard saw pivot point, a circularsaw of this alternate embodiment may pivot at outer pivot point 23 asbest shown schematically in FIG. 10. When the saw lower platform 5pivots at the modified outer pivot point 23, the saw platform pivotsfrom the outer side of the platform. While this modification of thestandard circular saw is an alternate preferred embodiment, the devicedescribed herein will also perform satisfactorily with standard, off theshelf circular saws that are commonly found and manufactured in theindustry.

A key concept of this invention is utilizing the electric motor of astandard circular saw to run both the saw blade and the impeller. Thismodification of existing circular saws allows the saw to be selfcontained and moveable from site to site. Modifying the armature tosupport the impeller, along with the other structure necessary to createthe saw blade chamber on the saw side and the vacuum chamber on theimpeller side is an important and innovative part of this invention.

The dimensions for the various elements can be varied according to theuses and designs of the power saws. For example, the saw blade chambermay be anywhere from two inches wide, as shown approximately in thedrawing figures, to twelve inches wide. While the hoses are made ofstandard rubber, they can also be plastic fabricated hoses.Alternatively the entire shroud around the blade could be made of onepiece, and the saw blade casing, impeller vacuum housing, and bladechamber could be manufactured as a one piece, unitary manufactured unit.

As additional enhancements of this invention, lighting inside the bladechamber could be provided. Further, laser guides could be incorporatedin this device while still keeping within the spirit and disclosure ofthis invention. (Obviously, laser guides would be much more effectivewith the removal of the dust and debris from the normal work site by thevacuum system.) In addition, a peep site could be built into the clearouter plate on the blade side to allow the workman a better view of theblade and its cutting path. The peep site would allow the workman to seethe work closer to the actual blade-cutting surface and work piece.

1. A self-contained circular vacuum saw, comprising: (a) a circular sawhaving a body containing a motor having a drive shaft, said drive shaftconnected to and driving a circular cutting blade, and a lower platformhaving an inner and outer side pivotably connected to said body; (b) anupper blade housing surrounding the upper portion of said blade; (c) alower bellows connected to and beneath said blade housing wherein saidhousing and bellows create a blade chamber; (d) a vacuum impellerconnected to and driven by said motor drive shaft; (e) a vacuum housingcontaining said impeller; (f) a plurality of vacuum tubes connectedbetween said blade housing and said vacuum housing; (g) a bag connectedto said vacuum housing; wherein debris and dust produced by the cuttingblade are vacuumed from the blade chamber into the vacuum housing anddischarged into the bag by the impeller.
 2. A self-contained circularvacuum saw as in claim 1, wherein said lower bellows are flexible andbendable such that said saw blade can be adjusted for depth and angles.3. A self-contained circular vacuum saw as in claim 1, wherein saidlower platform is pivotably connected to said saw body such that itpivots from the outer side of said platform.
 4. A self-contained vacuumsaw as in claim 1, having four vacuum tubes, wherein said upper bladehousing has a shoulder, wherein said four vacuum tubes are spaced at thenine, ten, two and three o-clock positions along the circumference ofsaid shoulder.
 5. A self-contained circular vacuum saw as in claim 1,wherein said lower bellows is divided into a front and rear section. 6.A self-contained circular vacuum saw as in claim 5, further comprisingthree vacuum tubes connected to the front portion of said bellows andhaving one vacuum tube connected to the rear section of said bellows. 7.A self-contained circular vacuum saw as in claim 1, further comprising alower blade guard rod contained within said blade housing, connected atone end to the lower blade guard of the saw and at the other end to ahandle outside of said blade housing, wherein said rod may be pulled bysaid outer handle to rotate said lower blade guard.
 8. A self-containedcircular vacuum saw as in claim 1, further comprising a light locatedwithin said blade chamber.
 9. A self-contained circular vacuum saw as inclaim 1, further comprising a laser guide for said saw blade.
 10. Avacuum system for a circular saw having a body containing a motor havinga drive shaft, said drive shaft connected to and driving a circularcutting blade, and a lower platform having an inner and outer sidepivotably connected to said body, comprising: (a) an upper blade housingsurrounding the upper portion of said blade; (b) a lower bellowsconnected to and beneath said blade housing wherein said housing andbellows create a blade chamber; (c) a vacuum impeller connected to anddriven by said motor drive shaft; (d) a vacuum housing containing saidimpeller; (e) a plurality of vacuum tubes connected between said bladehousing and said vacuum housing; (f) a bag connected to said vacuumhousing; wherein debris and dust produced by the cutting blade arepulled from the blade chamber into the vacuum housing and dischargedinto the bag by the impeller.